Cognitive Impairment and Electroconvulsive Therapy in Geriatric Depression, What Could be the Role of Rivastigmine? A Case Series.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), albeit highly effective in treating depression, is frequently associated with cognitive impairment, either temporary or more persistent. Especially in older patients, who generally respond even better, serious cognitive impairment during the course of ECT may lead to premature termination of ECT. Treatment of this cognitive impairment is of utmost importance.

[Simulation in the general hospital: differential diagnosis and policy].

Doctors meet patients who present with non-genuine diseases. We present three patients who present with an illness with no organic cause: conversion syndrome, factitious disorder and simulation. We discuss the differential diagnosis, prevalence and diagnostics in the event of simulation.

Efficacy and safety of continuation and maintenance electroconvulsive therapy in depressed elderly patients: a systematic review.

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most efficacious treatment in severely depressed elderly patients. Relapse and recurrence of geriatric depression after recovery is an important clinical issue, which requires vigorous and safe treatment in the long term. Continuation or maintenance ECT (M-ECT) may play an important role in this respect.

Gastric rupture after electroconvulsive therapy.

We report on a rare complication, gastric rupture, which developed during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) under general anesthesia. The patient developed symptoms of gastric rupture immediately after recovery from the first ECT session. An x-ray confirmed the clinical diagnosis, and an emergency laparotomy was conducted.